


Darling, we're falling apart, but at least it's together

by NikeScaret



Category: DCU (Comics), Red Hood/Arsenal (Comics)
Genre: Bittersweet, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Light Angst, Roy's tired, So is Jason, They're just tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2017-04-26
Packaged: 2018-10-24 03:07:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10732884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikeScaret/pseuds/NikeScaret
Summary: Roy'stired.The world expects too much of him.It does the same to Jason.At each other's sides, they're weary, but happy.





	Darling, we're falling apart, but at least it's together

**Author's Note:**

> I've been shipping this ship since I read Laughter Lines by TimmyJayBird and I've finally wrote something on it!
> 
> Yes!
> 
> It's sad, but I'm very proud of it.
> 
> I just. Hope I didn't fuck up the characters.
> 
> Also. Roy Harper is not dumb. He is a genius that the world refuses to give a break.
> 
> So there.
> 
> Anyways, the inspiration for this is a poem. That's also sad. Here's the [link.](http://pencap.tumblr.com/post/159986796750/make-believe)
> 
> Still.
> 
> Enjoy my first attempt at Jayroy!

 

Jason never really got a childhood.

 

He grew up in Crime Alley, in _Gotham_.

 

Of course he didn't get a childhood.

 

And while his time with Bruce was great, it-

 

It wasn't what he heard about.

 

Purple remained the color of bruises, and red stayed blood.

 

It wasn't _normal._

 

It wasn't _safe._

 

It wasn't-

 

“Jaybird.”

 

Roy.

 

Jason turns around, absently turning his helmet in his hands.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Roy looks tired.

 

Not sleep tired, like civilians have.

 

It's the bone deep, earth weary tired.

 

The ones that only those who have fought for far too long have.

 

“I…” Roy stumbles forward, and Jason catches him readily, gently holding him close.

 

“I can't _do_ it today, Jay.” Roy's voice is barely a whisper, and it hurts Jason that Roy is like this.

 

Roy's… _Roy._

 

He deserves so much better than what he has, deserves more than what he got.

 

“I know.” Jason says into red hair, and Roy clings to his jacket.

 

“I can't-”

 

“I know.”

 

Jason almost can't deal with it either, but right now, Roy's vulnerable. He's bared open with his weaknesses for all to see, and he's trusting _Jason_ to protect him right now.

 

Jason's not betraying that trust.

 

Not now, not ever.

 

“Jay, I tried building. I _tried_ and _nothing_ would happen.”

 

Jason sucks in a breath, humming deep in his chest as he rocks from side to side.

 

“It's okay.”

 

Roy doesn't answer, merely buries his face in Jason's chest, hiding from the world outside.

 

The cruel, cruel world that has pained him so much, the world that refuses to let him take a break no matter how much he needs it because he's been trained to handle it, been trained to _fight_ , and so it expects him to hold underneath the strain.

 

Roy can do that. He's a _genius_. He can control what needs to be controlled because his intelligence allows it to happen.

 

But sometimes he can't.

 

Sometimes the world assumes he _can_ when he simply _can't_ , when everything that's happened is just too much.

 

That's when he starts to break, starts to crack.

 

That's when Jason stands guard. That's when Jason protects.

 

That's when Jason helps him heal.

 

“Imagine what would happen if we never became superheroes.” Jason asks, and Roy's trembling subsides.

 

Good.

 

“If Bruce never picked me up from Crime Alley, if Oliver never picked you up. Would we still know each other?"

 

Roy laughs, and this time the shaking in his shoulders is a wonderful thing.

 

“I know we would, Jaybird.” Roy says, inclining his head up so that he can meet Jason's eyes.

 

“We're meant to be.”

 

Jason grins and steals a kiss because that's so goddamn sappy and just so _Roy._  “Okay, so if we met, if I hadn't died and you had your problem with addiction, if we didn't have these scars on our skin and our minds weren't as fucked up, would we be more happy?”

 

Roy scoffs, rolls his eyes, and flicks Jason's streak of white in his hair-the dye's washed out. “Probably.” He stops, eyes turning sad. “But then we wouldn't have this relationship, would we?”

 

“I guess not.” Jason admits.

 

“So stop worrying about it.” Roy tells him, pulling back until Jason's hands are on his hips and he can poke him in the chest. “Now come on, I want some food.”

 

Jason laughs, letting Roy grab his wrist and drag him away from the table where his equipment is.

 

“Yes, dear.”

 

“Shut _up,_ Jason. What have I told you about that nickname?”

 

“Okay, okay.”

 

(In another world, Roy returns home to see Jason trying to fix the sink. He laughs and tells Jason to let him handle it. Jason scowls and hits him upside the head while Roy cackles, and there's no such thing as Red Hood or Arsenal in this world, but they're as happy as can be.

 

And that's enough.)

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my [Tumblr.](http://nikescaret.tumblr.com)
> 
> I also post my works on Tumblr, so if you're nervous about leaving a comment here, ask me on anonymous.
> 
> Or if you just want to talk, ask me too. I won't be mean.
> 
> Comments are wonderful and loved by me always.


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